Hilo Lahaina Noon 2015

by vrecinto on May 12th, 2015

It is that time of year when the Hawaiian Islands experience the astronomical phenomenon known as “Lahaina Noon.” That is when the sun reaches its zenith and makes shadows virtually disappear for vertical objects set at a 90 degree angle. Hawai‘i is the only state in the nation with this phenomenon, because it only happens in the tropics (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn). It occurs twice a year at every location in the islands.

During Lahaina Noon at ‘Imiloa in Hilo, our 14 foot mosaic “Voyage of the Navigator” will be illuminated when the sun will be directly over the sky light, thus creating a great example of Lahaina Noon. Let’s just hope we have a sunny Hilo day. Unfortunately we are closed Mondays.

About

Originally called the Maunakea Astronomy Education Center, Imiloa was developed in the mid-1990s by a team of educators, scientists and community leaders who understood the need for a comprehensive educational facility that would showcase the connections between the rich traditions of Hawaiian culture and the groundbreaking astronomical research conducted at the summit of Maunakea. More about our history...